Accumula Town. It hadn't changed a bit since he'd first stopped there at the beginning of his journey one year ago, it was every bit as pleasant and warm as he remembered...well, maybe not exactly warm since it happened to be raining quite hard.

I hope it isn't raining too hard where Hilda is right now, he thought. He, his twin sister and their childhood friends had started on the same path, but after the events at Team Plasma's castle she'd decided to keep traveling, to find out more about some of Unova's other legends. Hilbert shivered slightly as he left the Pokemon center; the rain had been a surprise; this morning he'd had woken up to bright sunlight but as soon as he left the house the sky darkened and minutes later it was pouring.

But the rain was nothing compared to the surprise waiting just outside the building. He'd paid for his purchases and was about to head home when a familiar flash of green caught his eye. Could it be...

"Hilbert." Yes, that voice could only belong to N. Hilbert turned around; N was standing under the roof of the Pokemon Center, shivering and looking more miserable than he'd had ever seen anyone look before.

"N..."

"It's been a while," N said stiffly. "Where's your sister?"

"Headed to Lacunosa Town," Hilbert said.

"I see." He shivered. "...you're looking well."

"N, what are you..." Hilbert trailed off, something in N's eyes told him now wasn't a good time to be asking questions. He quickly came to his side, offering his coat.

"Hilbert?"

"Come with me," he said, and the former King of Team Plasma complied, sticking close to Hilbert as they hurried down Route One. When they reached the house Hilbert quickly ushered N inside; his mother looked up from her cup of tea with a gasp.

"Hilbert? Who is this person?"

"He's..." Hilbert paused. "Mom, this is N, a friend of mine and Hilda's from our journey. He got caught in the rain, is it okay if he stays with us for a while?"

"Of course," his mother said. "There's fresh towels in the linen closet and I'll make you boys some hot chocolate."

"Thanks," Hilbert said, N nodding in agreement. They hurried upstairs and into Hilbert's room. "You wait here, I'll go get you-"

He was cut off by N suddenly flinging himself against his chest, sobs wracking him. Hilbert nearly fell backwards from the impact; at a loss for what else to do he sat down on the bed and wrapped his arms around N, holding him tightly as he wept.

When N had no more tears left to cry, he slowly lifted his swollen, red-eyed gaze to Hilbert.

"T-thank you," he whispered. "I-I'm sorry you had to see that. I thought after so much time away from here I was stronger, but as soon as I set foot in Accumula Town all the memories came flooding back."

"I'm surprised you came back at all," Hilbert said. "All the rumors that you'd fled to a distant region with Reshiram..." He offered N a tissue. "Why did you come back?"

N took a moment to wipe his eyes and nose, then a deep breath before looking into Hilbert's eyes.

"I wanted to see you again."

"Me?" Hilbert blinked. "You risked all those painful memories just to come back to see me? Why?"

N smiled a little, placing a hand on Hilbert's shoulder.

"Because I trust you more than I've ever trusted anyone in my life," he said. "You, with your dreams and your ideals, your kind heart...while I was off trying to find myself, my thoughts always drifted back to you, Hilbert. Our talk after that last battle...you said I was a good person. Even after all I'd done, you saw good in me." Hilbert smiled, resting a hand on N's cheek.

"I meant every word of what I said. No matter what happened along the way, I never thought of you as truly evil," he said. "Your dream may have been a little misguided, but was still pure. You weren't like the rest of Team Plasma...you truly believed in the ideals they only claimed to hold." N leaned his cheek into his palm, relaxing a bit.

"All I ever wanted was a world where Pokemon had the same rights as people...where they wouldn't be hurt or used to further selfish goals," he said. "I grew up among Pokemon who were abused by humans...they were the only family I ever truly had. If I hadn't met you and your sister, I..." He smiled. "Hilbert, because of you two I started to regain my faith in humanity."

Hilbert smiled, leaning his forehead against N's.

"I'm glad you came back." He stroked N's cheek. "I...I really missed you. I think about you every day."

"Hilbert, I..."

"I know."

Their lips met in a brief, nervous kiss, Hilbert tasting tears and rainwater on N's. They broke apart, blushing and laughing nervously.

"I...I'd always wanted to do that," N said. "Um, that is, I always wondered what it was like. Kissing."

"Well...what do you think?" Hilbert asked. N's face lit up like a child's on Christmas.

"Can we do it again?"

"Sure, I'd-" And suddenly there was a knock at the door. "That's probably Mom with the hot chocolate," he laughed, gently releasing N from his hold. "I'd better get it." He opened the door and his mother walked in, setting a tray with two cups on the end table.

"I see you two are still soaked," she said with a frown. If she noticed their blushes and N's still swollen eyes, she didn't say a word. Instead, she handed them two large bath towels and shook her head. "Boys will be boys, I guess. N, would you like to call your parents and let them know where you are?" N coughed nervously, and Hilbert realized his work was far from done.

"Mom...can we talk later?" he asked. His mother seemed to get the message and nodded solemnly.

"Of course, dear. N, I hope I didn't upset you," she said. "I'll leave you two alone now."

Once she was gone, the boys quickly dried themselves off and took the two steaming mugs from the tray. N sipped slowly and thoughtfully with closed eyes.

"You're going to ask her if I can stay here, aren't you?" Hilbert took a long drink of his own hot chocolate and looked at him.

"Do you want to? I'd really like it if you did, and I bet Hilda would be glad to see you again when she gets home."

N smiled, setting his mug down.

"I can't think of anywhere else I'd want to be."